1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing method and a computer program and, in particular, to an image processing apparatus, an image processing method and a computer program for permitting quick startup.
2. Description of the Related Art
Digital still cameras are now in widespread use. The digital still camera employs a high technical standard of graphic user interface (GUI) and is typically connected to networks. To meet even higher functional demands from users, digital still cameras can execute a high-performance and multi-functional operating system such as Linux (Registered Trademark).
High-performance and multi-functional operating systems, such as Linux, generally need more time to start in comparison with a small-scale operating system such as micro industrial real-time operating system nucleus (μITRON).
If a process in applications, such as GUI or connection with a network, becomes sophisticated, the application program becomes large in scale and takes more time to start.
The operating system and the application program stored not on a NOR-type flash memory directly executing a program stored thereon but on a NAND-type flash memory make the startup operation even slower. If the program is stored on a NAND-type flash memory, the program needs to be loaded onto a random-access memory (RAM) first before execution.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-362426 discloses a technique that permits a suspension process and a resume process to be efficiently performed. In accordance with the disclosure, a non-volatile memory is arranged as a main memory device, power is shut down after information required to continue process is re-stored onto the non-volatile memory, a process interrupted by the power shut down resumes using the information stored on the non-volatile memory when power is restored, the information required to resume the process is identified and prioritized, information is stored onto the non-volatile memory on a higher priority first basis, and information having a lower priority not stored is re-stored onto a secondary memory.